Artwork
Study of a Head
Study of a Head is a drawing by Reg Butler. It dates from 1952 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This drawing depicts a head entwined by a snake, executed in soft pencil strokes on beige paper.
About this work
Overview
This drawing depicts a head entwined by a snake, executed in soft pencil strokes on beige paper. The piece emphasizes dynamic movement and form, with loose, flowing lines guiding the viewer's eye.
Subject & Meaning
The intertwined snake and head create a visually ambiguous fusion, blurring the distinction between the two forms. This merging suggests a thematic exploration of unity or transformation.
Technique & Style
The artist employed soft pencil strokes to achieve a light, sketchy quality. The emphasis on expressive lines over detailed rendering implies a focus on capturing the subject's kinetic essence, potentially in a rapid, exploratory manner.
History & Provenance
Unfortunately, specific historical and provenance details for this drawing are not provided in the available information.
Context
While direct contextual information is lacking, the piece's stylistic emphasis on expressive movement and simplified forms aligns with mid-20th-century artistic tendencies that valued spontaneity and abstraction.
Legacy
The drawing's impact or influence within the artist's oeuvre or broader artistic movements cannot be assessed with the given information.
Artist & collection
Artist
Reginald Cotterell Butler was an English sculptor. He was born at Bridgefoot House, Buntingford, Hertfordshire to Frederick William Butler (1880–1937) and Edith (1880–1969), daughter of blacksmith William Barltrop, of…
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